February 2023

FEBURARY WITH THE FOUNDATION – HELP US SHARE THE LOVE

Did you know that to bring such a wide variety of community programs to you, the Kentlands Community Foundation must engage in a lot of fundraising?  While we are a not-for-profit and try to keep our activities free or low cost to participate, putting on these events is not free, and we do not have a substantial endowment fund like other Foundations to provide ongoing financial support.  A great deal of our fundraising is accomplished through annual direct requests to local businesses and organizations to support what we do and by asking for donations from participants.  The Foundation also requests grant support from private foundations, as well as state and local government.  While the Foundation receives annual funding from the Kentlands Citizens Assembly, the funds available cannot support all we do and mostly help cover a portion of the general administrative operating costs of the Foundation. 

One of the long-term tenets of the Foundation is that all programs are self-supporting.  What this means is that each program is responsible for finding funding for their program through membership dues, subscriptions, donations from residents, local business sponsorships and grants. 

One wonderful way to help support the programs you love is to ask your workplace whether it offers a grant program or matching grants per donation.  For many larger businesses, some will match any donation you make to a non-profit.  Other businesses have grants they will make to non-profit organizations their employees support through volunteering or donating.  Grant applications often include a question asking whether any of their employees participate in the event … with your help, we can say “yes” and hopefully get much needed support.

Needless to say, fundraising has become more challenging as our programs grow, become more complex and additional programming is added, and we are always looking for any way to help our programs with obtaining the funding they need to provide great activities for our community. If you have any experience in fundraising or can help us, please send us an email at kentlands@kentlands.org.

KENTLANDS COMMUNITY PLAYERS will perform the one-act play, Skin Deep by Mary Lynn Dobson. The Players have entered into the Maryland Theatre Festival in Hagerstown and are scheduled to perform February 10 – 11, 2023.  We wish the KCP the best of luck at the festival, please join them if you can!

GAITHERSBURG ARTIST COLLECTIVE will be raising funds this February for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation through an online auction.  If you would like to help them with their efforts, please check out the link on their page at our website: kentlands.org.

The Foundation’s New Urbanist seat is open on our board.  Past holders of the seat have been an important part of helping to educate the community about New Urbanist principles through the presentation of quarterly lectures, tours of the community and other activities.  According to the bylaws of the Foundation, eligible candidates should specialize in urban planning, or design or municipal governance. If interested in finding out more, please contact the Foundation at kentlands@kentlands.org.

November 2022

Great events to End 2022 and a Super start to 2023—our 30^th anniversary

The Kentlands Community Foundation will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in 2023.  Our 29^th year has had programming to be proud of and December continues the outstanding community building and events our volunteers work so hard to present. Our programs are created, chaired, and presented by volunteers—all members of our community. As we head into 2023, the KCF aims to continue to present high-quality programs that fulfill our mission of promoting volunteerism, cultural arts programs, and education about New Urbanism.  We hope you will join us at our Annual Meeting at the end of January to learn about what we have accomplished and our plans for a bright future – everyone is welcome.  Please visit kentlands.org for more information. As this year comes to a close, we wish to especially thank you all for all of your support as volunteers and enthusiastic attendees at our many events.

On December 7 at 6 pm, join us in Kentlands Market Square for our annual HOLIDAY TREE AND MENORAH LIGHTING.  This fun event will include a visit by Santa and our local fire department—and a special surprise.  Everyone is invited to make an ornament and enjoy seasonal holiday music by the Quince Orchard chorus members, the City of Gaithersburg Community Chorus, and the ROCK AND BLUES SOCIAL CLUB, and many more! Join in the countdown with the Mayor of Gaithersburg, the Honorable Jud Ashman, as he lights the tree and the menorah.  Thank you to Jodi Rappaport for organizing this event and the support of AstraZeneca, KIMCO and the City of Gaithersburg. Please go to our Facebook page for more information.

The Gaithersburg Artist Collective’s pop-up gallery, ARTISTS ON MARKET, is open at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn through January 8^th.  Please read the Collective’s article about their holiday event on (Please add page number for article). For more information, you may visit their social media on Facebook and Instagram – @artistsonmarket or drop them an email at artistsonmarket@gmail.com.

The KENTLANDS COMMUNITY PLAYERS opens at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn on January 13^th with their performance of Agatha Christie’s “The Hollow.”  An unhappy game of romantic follow-the-leader explodes into murder one weekend at The Hollow, home of Sir Henry and Lucy Angkatell, arguably Christie’s finest comic grande dame. Dr. Cristow, the Harley Street lothario, is at the center of the trouble when, assembled in one place, we find his dull but devoted wife, Gerda, his mistress and prominent sculptor, Henrietta, and his former lover and Hollywood film star, Veronica. Also visiting are Edward and Midge, whose romantic assertions are likewise thrown into the mix. As the list of romantic associations grows so does the list of potential suspects when Cristow is shot dead. Nearly everyone has a motive, but only one of them did the deed. “The Hollow” is produced in partnership with the Gaithersburg Art Barn and  will be performed Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through January 29th.  For tickets please visit gaithersburgmd.gov/aotg.

A resident has suggested the creation of a WRITERS’ GROUP.  Interested writers would meet and share their ideas and the progress on their writing endeavors.  To gauge interest in this program, a survey has been created and the link may be found at kentlands.org and our social media pages. Please complete the survey if this is a group in which you would consider participating.

Our MONTH OF GIVING continues until December 15^th. We will continue to collect food and warm clothing at area businesses and the Arts Barn. A complete list of businesses participating and the items they are collecting can be found on our website and on our social media pages.

The KENTLANDS FILM SOCIETY will show its next film of the season on January 22nd at the Arts Barn at 7 pm.  “Flee” depicts the refugee experience through vivid animation pushing the boundaries of documentary filmmaking to present a moving memoir of self-discovery.  For more information please visit our website, kentlands.org. For questions or to purchase a ticket please email KentlandsFilmSociety@gmail.com.

We need you!  Many of our programs are actively seeking volunteers and if you would like to get involved, we would love to have you join us.  Your commitment can be small or large, whatever you can offer is immensely appreciated.  To find out more about our events and programs, follow the Kentlands Community Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and check out our website at kentlands.org. 

If you have a great idea for a program that involves volunteerism, the cultural arts, or supports New Urbanism, we would love to hear from you!  All our programs are grassroots efforts that begin with you.  We are here for you! Feel free to drop us an email at kentlands@kentlands.org.